Machine for finishing cloth



Dec. 7, 1943. T,C| ARK ETAL 2,335,915

MACHINE FOR FINISHING CLOTH Filed Jul 5, 1941 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 1

FIGZ 'F'IG'. 3

Dec. 7, 1943. 1'. T. CLARK ETAL 2,335,915

v MACHINE FOR FINISHING CLOTH Filed July 5, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 7, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,335,915 MACHINE FOR FINISHING CLOTH trustee Application July 5, 1941, Serial No. {101,993

Claims.

This invention is a machine in which the napping and shearing of cloth are combined and a method of using such machines.

It is now and has generally been the practice to pass cloth to be finished through one or more napping machines or nappers or else to pass it through the same machine several times, to fold it and to then remove it in folds to a shearing machine or shear for evenly cutting the nap; It is often necessary to nap and shear several times and it has been customary in the past to fasten the ends of a piece of cloth together with a seam in which the cloth is doubled. Certain arrangements for raising and lowering the cutting blades are necessary to avoid cutting the seam with this type of machine.

In the present methods and machines for handling cloth in napping and shearing operations, the cloth is folded back and forth with the result that while the nap on most of the material may remain up after napping, it is bent or jammed and pressed down at the folds and also in the flat part by the weight of the super-imposed folds.

It is also frequently carried along over guides or delivery rolls with the nap, which has been raised by napper rolls, in contact with guide rolls with the result that the nap is laid down, instead of remaining raised after it leaves the napper and before it reaches the shearing blades.

To counteract this irregular laying down of the nap, a brush roll just before the cutting blades has been found necessary. We do not need such a brush roll.

These shearing machines or shears are sometimes of the single and sometimes of the double type. In most cases there is a rotary brush which brushes up the nap just before it goesto theretary' cutting roll or fly bar because it has been laid down in spots by foldingor by being passed between rolls. 'In some cases, the materialgoes past one set of brush and cutting rolls for the face and then past another setfor the back. In most cases, the material is in a strip, the ends of which are sewed together and as the cloth and seam repeatedly pass the'cutters, it is necessary to move them to allow the seam to pass without being cut.

There is usually a rotary cleaning brush to clean one side of the cloth .and a rotary nap brushing up brush on the other side to lift the nap just before it reaches the rotary fly bar, a cloth rest, a ledger blade and "alaying brush which lays or smooths down the cut nap and brushes the waste on intofa trough. We can omit the nap brushing up brush.

Brushing up the nap means that after the nap has been created or raised by the nappers, and has been pressed down, this brushing up or lifting makes it stand erect. It does not create the nap but does make it stand up erect from the'face of the cloth. Brushing up rolls are now formed of bristles or of straight wire perhaps an inch long extending radially from the axis of a roll.

By cleaning brush roll is meant a roll covered with metal wire or fibre which br ushes off the dirt, specks and so forth to leave a face of the cloth clean.

The object of our machine and process is to provide means by which a length of cloth can be finished during one passage without the ends being sewed together and's'o that during one passage, the material on the back is sheared, and then the front is then napped' and thenshjeare'd. We accomplish this by 'so combining the napping and shearing that the back is shearedand then the fibreson the front are created and raised by the napper and remain raised until they are cut evenly by the second shear; There is less dead weight loss of the material because in getting the sameresult there is less waste cutoff from holding fibres thus leaving the material stronger and more compact, while it holds "the weight better and .there is less labor in attending the machine or machines than in the present processes.

In the present processes, the material is first passed through a napping machine and folded up, and then the cloth in folds is t'aken'to a shearing machine, The ends are then often sewed together but in any case, it is passed through the shearing machine from the folded condition, while in our machine and pfo'cesSIthe material is never folded and therefore 'the '"nap of the cloth created and raised by the napping rolls does not lie down in streaks at the folds 'orin any other places but is out clean and"even the first time.

We accomplish this by placing a napper unit between two shears or shearing units, first prefe'rably for the back and last for the face.

We can add more napper unitsand shearing units in various combinations but in everyflcase ours is a continuous process during Which the do not need a cloth inspector between the napper .and the shear.

By napping is meant creating a nap by pulling out or raising the ends of some of the fibres of the cloth. This was formerly done by use of the hooked bracts of teasels and in the trade is usually called raising the nap. The modern napper rolls have bent wire teeth similar to card clothing but with needle points. These napper rolls of a napper revolve individually and are arranged around and carried by a large main cylinder ,which revolves and carries them with it. .The cloth passes over cloth carrying rolls and over the napper rolls which support it on the points of their teeth and revolve at a different surface speed from the cloth and from the main cylinder so that the points of the teeth catch in the fibres and disintegrate, disentangle and separate the ends of the fibres which have been compacted or felted in .any of the previous processes of fulling, washing, squeezing and flattening.

We have discovered that without being touched by any napper rolls, the back of the cloth can be passed through a shear of a well known type including a rotary fly blade with a cloth rest and a ledger blade.

Preferably to eliminate bunches which might get between the cutting members and cause the cloth to be out, we use a cleaning brush roll to clean that side of the cloth which will be in contact with the cloth rest.

The cloth can then be passed around either a single or a double napper by which the nap on the face of the cloth can be created or raised sufficiently, and with sufiicient evenness, so that the cloth can then be carried along over guide rolls'which contact only with the back of the cloth until it is delivered to a second or cloth face shear of the same well known type by which it can be sheared. The result is that in most cases both the back and the face of the cloth are finished with a single run through our compound unit.

Our machine and process can be used for finishing not only woolen cloth but cloth made partly of wool and some kinds of cloth made of other fibres.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of our portable machine or machine unit for finishing cloth especially woolen cloth including a back shear, a front shear and a napper between them.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section showing the usual arrangement of shear parts.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic side elevation showing particularly the arrangement of the cloth drive and guide rolls as the cloth passes through one of our portable machines.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic side elevation of a modification of two portable machines arranged in tandem.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic side elevation of another tandem arrangement of two portable machines.

Fig. 6 is still another diagrammatic side elevation of several complete and incomplete portable machines arranged in tandem.

Fig. '7 is a diagrammatic side elevation similar to Fig. 3 of a modification of the machine shown in Fig. 3.

In the drawings, in Figs. 1 and 3, A represents the frame of our compound unit machine which includes a back shear B which first receives the cloth 0, then a napper N and then a shear F for the face of the cloth.

asaait I represents the face of the cloth C and 2 represents the back.

The base of the frame A is preferably so made as to include skids or feet 30, 30, so that the frame can easily be moved from one place to another.

Each frame A, as shown, supports three electric drive motors 6, I, and 8. Motor 5 drives a cloth back shear B; motor I drives a napper N and also the cloth feed rolls 29, 3, 3, 3, preferably through chains 9 and Iii; and motor 8 drives the face shear F.

Each frame A also carries guide rolls such as 20, 2I, 25, 26, 27, and 28 for the cloth. The various guide rolls, feed rolls, napper rolls, fly blades, brush cleaning rolls, nap brushing up rolls and so forth are substantially of the usual type for nappers and shears.

Each shear unit and each napper unit is made up of rolls, guides and other parts used in shears and nappers but they are connected and driven differently.

The cloth back shear B is of a known type but includes no rotary nap brushing up roll, but only a rotary cleaning brush I I which serves to remove the flocks and foreign matters from the face of the cloth, the cloth rest I3, ledger blade I4 adjacent thereto and the rotary fly blade I5. See Fig. 2.

The cloth C is shown as coming from guide rolls 22, 22, under guide rolls 23, 23, and thence up by any suitable guiding machine to shear B.

The guide roll 2!! guides the cloth down under and to a guide roll 2| from whence it passes up and around cloth feed rolls 3, 3, and the various napper rolls 4, 4, of the napper N, the face i of the cloth being now presented to these napper rolls 4, 4.

From napper N, the cloth C passes down and around another guide r011 thence around guide roll 26 up to cloth face shear F which is reversed in position from shear B but has cloth rest 33, ledger blade 34, and fly blade as well as rotary cleaning brush 36.

From shear F, the cloth travels over guide rolls 2'! and 28, and then around cloth feed roll 29 to any place of delivery.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 shows diagrammatically the electric wiring for a shear B, napper N, and shear F.

5 0 is the source of electric power from which extend the main line conductors 5! and 52 for the motors. These are shown as divided into shunts 53 and 54 for motor 6 and shunts 55 and 56 for motor I and shunts 5'! and 58 for motor 8. One or more other main line connections such as I5I and I52 can extend to a second or to other compound units when they are set up in tandem as shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6.

In Fig. 4, we show a machine or compound unit similar to Fig. 1 in which there is a first cloth back shear BI by which the back of the cloth is sheared. The cloth then goes to the first napper NI where the nap on the face of the cloth is created or raised. The cloth then travels under and around the guides 40, 4|, 42, 43, underneath and out of contact with a second napper N2 through the face shear FI which cuts the nap on the face of the cloth and from thence the cloth passes around guides 44, 45, to a second napper N2 with the back of the cloth in contact with the nap rolls. From napper N2, it moves down and around the guides 46 and 41 and thence up and through a second back shear B2 where the back nap is 7 again trimmed and thence around other guides 48, 48, and 49, 49, to the deliyery point; I

In Fig. 5, we show still another arrangement in which the cloth passes first through a machine orcompound unit similar to B, N, F consisting of the back shear G, which is similar to B, a first napper HI similar to N', by which the face of the cloth is created or napped, and-a face shear Kl similar to F. From this compound unit G, HI, Kl, the cloth passes to a second face napper H2 and from thence to a secondface shear K2 and from there to its destination.

In Fig. 6, we show still another arrangement inwhich in addition to the primary combination of back shear; napper and front shear B, N, F,

we have a breaker-roll L from which the cloth goes tothe compound unit" B, N, F, in which the back is sheared once-and the face is napped and sheared-once and from there it goes to a second compound unitB, N, F. From this second compound unit it can go to another-napper M and from thence to the threeface shearing units M, o, P-

We flnd that while brushes, such as II and 36, for cleaning the side of the cloth which comes in contact with the cloth rest are highly desirable to prevent bunches which will lift the cloth and cause thefly blade to cut holes, they can be dispensed with in most cases. to use a nap brushing up roll In which may be of the velour type, driven by the cloth itself or positively-driven, to brush up the nap before it is cut by the first shear, and to have such a 'roll Ill near an adjustable cloth guide such as 38 bywhich it can be brought into action or kept out of action. We can also use a similar roll 31 to brush up more of the nap or to help keep the nap erect before the cloth passes through the second shear.- v

Where cleaningbrushes such as II and 36 are used, it is usually convenientto have flock pans such as 80 and 39 to catch the waste material removed by these brushes.

By using three electric drive motors carried by each machine unit we can dispense with a large number of belts and chains, and because the napper and cloth drive rolls of each unit are revolved by the same current operating similar motors, when properly adjusted for two or more units, the use of automatic adjusting device to regulate the speed and tension on the cloth between units is avoided.

We also find that by having a self-contained unit where there is no pull from the outside to get any part out of adjustment, the machine can simply rest on the floor, provided the floor is level, and need not be fastened in place although of course if necessary, it can be attached to the floor by cap screws or in any other way.

We claim:

1. The combination in a machine for finishing woolen cloth; of a frame provided at its bottom with means on which it can be moved; with a cloth back shear carried by the frame and including a rotary brush to clean the face of the cloth, a rotary fly blade, a cloth rest and a ledger blade for shearing the back of the cloth; a napper carried by the frame back of the cloth back shear and including napper rolls for creating and raising a nap on the face of the cloth; a cloth face shear carried by the frame back of the napper and including a rotary brush to clean the back of the cloth, a rotary fly blade, a cloth rest and a ledger blade for shearing the raised We also find it convenient, as shown in Fig. '7,

nap s0 created on the face ot the cloth; guides between the cloth back" shear and th napper;

guides between the napper and the cloth face shear of such a character that the nap on the face ofthe cloth does not come in contact with a guide after it leaves the napper until it passes over the cloth rest of the cloth face shear; means to rotate the brushes; rolls and fly blades; and

means to cause the cloth to travel through the machine.

2; The combination in a machine for finishing woolen cloth; of a frame; with a cloth back shear carried by the frame and including a rotary fly blade, a cloth rest and a ledger blade for shearing the back of the cloth; a napper carried by the frame back of the cloth back shear and including napper rolls for creating and raising a nap on the face of the cloth; a cloth-face shear carried by the frame back of the napper and in"- cluding a rotary fly blade, a cloth rest and a ledger blade for shearing the raised nap so created on the face of the cloth; guides between the cloth back shear and the napper; guides between the napper and the cloth face shear of such a character that the nap on the face of the cloth does not come in contact with a guide after it leaves the napper until it passes over the cloth rest of the cloth face shear; means to rotate the rolls and fly blades; and means to cause the cloth to travel through the machine;

3. The combination in a machine for finishing cloth; of a frame provided at its bottom with means on which it can be moved; with a first cloth shear carried by the frame and including" a rotary fly blade, a cloth rest and a ledger blade for shearing one side of the cloth; a napper car'- ried by the frame back of the firstshear and including napper rolls for creating and raising a nap on the other side of the cloth; a second shear carried by the frame back of the napper and including arotary fly blade, a cloth rest and a ledger blade for shearing the raised nap on the other side of the cloth; guide rolls between the first cloth shear and the napper; guide rolls between the napper and the second cloth shear of such a character that the raised nap so created on that side of the cloth does not come in contact. with a guide roll after it leaves the napper until it passes over the cloth rest of the second shear; means to rotate the rolls and fly blades; and.

means to cause the cloth to travel through the machine.

4. The combination in a machine for finishing woolen cloth; of a frame carrying driving means and provided at its bottom with means by which.

it can be moved; with a cloth back shear, a cloth; face shear and a cloth face napper between them. and guides all carried by the frame and all so arranged that the napped face of the cloth will not come in contact with anything until it is sheared.

5. The combination in a portable machine for finishing woolen cloth; of a frame provided at its bottom with means on which it can be moved; with a cloth back shear carried by the frame and including a rotary brush to clean the face of the cloth, a rotary fly blade, a cloth rest and a ledger blade, for shearing the back of the cloth; a napper carried by the frame back of the cloth back shear and including napper rolls for creating and raising a nap on the face of the cloth and cloth feed rolls; a cloth face shear carried by the frame back of the napper and including a rotary brush to clean the back of the cloth, a rotary fly blade, a cloth rest and a ledger blade for shearing the raised nap so created on the face of the cloth;

guides between the cloth back shear and the napper; guides between the napper and the cloth face shear of such a character that the nap on the face of the cloth does not come in contact with a guide after it leaves the napper until it passes over the cloth rest of the cloth face shear; means to rotate the brushes, rolls and fly blades of each shear; and means to drive the napperrolls and cloth feed rolls to cause the cloth to travel through the machine.

6. The combination in a portable machine for finishing woolen cloth; of a frame provided at its bottom with means on which it can be moved; with a cloth back shear carried by the frame and including a rotary brush to clean the face of the cloth, a rotary fiy blade, an electric motor to drive the brush and fly blade, a cloth rest and a ledger blade, for shearing the back of the cloth; a napper carried by the frame back of the cloth back shear and including napper rolls for creating and raising a nap on the face of the cloth, cloth feed ro11s,and an electric motor to drive the napper rolls and the cloth feed rolls; a cloth face shear carried by the frame back of the napper and including a, rotary brush to clean the back of the cloth, a rotary fly blade, an electric motor to drive the brush and fly blade, a cloth rest and a ledger blade for shearing the raised nap so created on the face of the cloth; guides between the cloth back shear and the napper; guides between the napper and the cloth face shear of such a character that the nap on the face of the cloth does not come in contact with a guide after it leaves the napper until it passes over the cloth rest of the cloth face shear; and electrical connections to a source of current for the electric motors.

'7. The combination in a portable machine for finishing woolen cloth; of a frame provided at its bottom with means on which it can be moved; with a cloth back shear carried by the frame and including a rotary fly blade, an electric motor to drive the fly blade, a cloth rest and a ledger blade, for shearing the back of the cloth; a napper carried by the frame back of the cloth back shear and including napper rolls for creating and raising a nap on the face of the cloth, cloth feed rolls and an electric motor to drive the napper rolls and the cloth feed rolls; a cloth face shear carried by the frame back of the napper and in cluding a rotary fly blade, an electric motor to drive the fly blade, a cloth rest and a ledger blade for shearing the raised nap so created on the face of the cloth; guides between the cloth back shear and the napper; guides between the napper and the cloth face shear of such a character that the nap on the face of the cloth does not come in contact with a guide after it leaves the napper until it passes over the cloth rest of the cloth face shear; and electrical connections to a source of current for the electric motors.

8. The combination in devices for finishing woolen cloth; of a cloth back shear; with a cloth face shear; a cloth face napper between thecloth back shear and the cloth face shear; and uides S0 arranged that the napped face of the cloth will not come in contact with anything until it is sheared.

9. The combination in devices for finishing cloth; of a cloth face napper; with a cloth face shear; and guides so arranged between them that the napped face of the cloth will not come in contact with anything until it issheared by the shear.

10. The combination in a machine for finishing woolen cloth; of a frame carrying driving means; with a cloth face napper and a cloth face shear together with guides between them all carried by the frame and all so arranged that the napped face of the cloth will not come in contact with anything until it is sheared.

THOMAS TALBOT CLARK. JAMES W. STANLEY. EDWARD F. HAYES. 

